Calling of the Bat
by Marcruz
Summary: As Fluttershy goes to sleep, Flutterbat wakes up. A routine that has gone on for a while under Applejack's supervision, but will the batpony's peaceful nights stay as relaxing as she hopes?
1. Flutterbat's night out

The moon high in the night sky, a cloaked figure journeyed through the everfree forest. The light from the celestial beings in the sky made it easy enough to navigate the forest that was correctly in a thin fog. With a sigh the figure leaned down to pick up some herbs, the same herbs she had come every few nights to collect. As the figure used its mouth to bite the vegetation, it was rather harder to pick them up than usual. With a strong tug the herbs were ripped from the ground, but also made the figure fall backwards and landing on its hind. The hood of the cloak was pulled back by the sudden impact with the ground it a black and white face was revealed. Zecora, the zebra that lived in this oh so strange forest groaned as she stood up again, her flank in some pain from the abrupt fall. With bags under her eyes she placed the herbs into her saddle bag and began to make her way back to her hut.

The forest continued to make strange noises and sounds that would frightened any pony, but she was used to it all. If anything, she had proven time and time again how she was the scariest thing in the forest if angered. She had a certain way with magic even though she wasn't a unicorn, so her magic was one that was seen as 'exotic'. That being said, lots of ponies came to her for help with strange illnesses that she usually knew how to heal in seconds. The last few nights were no different, somepony would come and ask for help but it seems that this was a little….different. The zebra's hooves echoed in the forest, and as she approached her home the door opened with an orange pony waiting for her.

"Did you get what you needed Zecora?" The earth pony said with a southern accent. In response she nodded and said.

"I hope the trip was worth the climb, and that the remedy will work this time." Zecora spoke in rhythm as she walked in, setting her saddle down. Before her was her patient, the same patient she had for last few nights which had left her without sleep.

"Zecora my friend, you should really get some sleep, just look at those awful bags under your eyes. You'll get early age wrinkles if you keep this up." A pony said as she hung upside down from Zecora's ceiling.

"I am more worried about finishing my brew, and healing what ails you." The zebra responded as she walked around the pony and reached over towards a stack of apples. With her yellow hoof she picked it up and took a bite into it with her long fangs, sucking the apple dry and throwing it aside. Applejack, the one who brought the 'patient' ducked as the shriveled apple flew overhead, landing in a basket full of other apples that looked the same.

"But nothing ails me, I feel perfectly fine." To this Applejack interjected.

"But yar not fine Fluttershy. Every single night you keep turning back into a batpony." The pink maned pony stretched out her bat wings as she yawned.

"Oh silly girl, I'm not Fluttershy. Fluttershy comes back in the morning. I'm…oh what was it your friend called me? Flutterbat?" She said before giggling to herself and reaching up to undo the knot she had made with her tail, detaching herself from the ceiling, and softly landing close to her 'friend'. "Or are you perhaps mad that I keep sneaking into your farm to pick an apple or two?"

Zecora was just about to finish making her potion as she listened to the duo go back and forth.

"Fluttershy, I don't care that you get some apples from my farm, ah'm just concerned for your well-being."

"Flutterbat my dear, I'm Flutterbat." The batpony said as she circled around Applejack, holding a devilish grin on her face as she teased the orange pony with her tail, gently poking her nuzzle with it.

"This form you might adore, but it would be best if you drink this and be a bat no more." The zebra said as she stepped closer holding her finished brew. Flutterbat quickly maneuvered around and grabbed the potion with her tail, stepping a few feet away from the zebra and pony without making a sound.

"So I just drink this and poof, I'm back to 'normal'?" She asked as she eyed the potion rather intently. The last few times she had tried her remedies they never worked, so she seemed rather confident this one wouldn't work either.

"That is correct…if it has the right affect." Zecora responded rather hesitantly. She was quite stumped with how to cure her friend and her confidence in her potions working right had diminished ever so slightly over the last few nights. Without hesitating the yellow bat gulped down the potion, as she held up the cup and allowed the final drop to fall on her tongue, she dropped it and began to gag. Her body fell on the ground and coughed uncontrollably. The other two ran to her side.

"Fluttershy! Are you ok? Zecora is this suppose ta happen?!" The coughing soon died out and the limp body laid on the ground as both remained quiet, in both shock and suspense. In a sudden jolt, the batpony sat up, her eyes closed.

"Uh…Fluttershy?..."

"How many times must I tell you? I'm Flutterbat." She quickly responded as she opened her eyes, the red irises staring intently at Zecora, whom she directed the next statement to. "You really must work on the taste, that last one was horrid." Without missing a beat she quickly took to the air and stretched her arms. "Now that we're done, may I go? If I wait too much longer I won't be able to enjoy the cool night sky before morning."

With a sigh, Zecora nodded and went over to her desk with a journal in which she had written down the ingredients she had thought would have worked to restore Fluttershy to normal and crossed it out. Flutterbat smiled and flew out of the hut and into the sky to enjoy what time she had before the sun rises. Applejack walked over to her zebra friend.

"Oh dontcha worry, you'll get it eventually."

"I am sorry dear Applejack, the skills to cure her I seem to lack." She said, sadden by her failure.

"It's fine. Fluttersh- FLutterbat doesn't seem to be hurting anypony, and she turns back to normal in the morning. You don't have to beat yourself over it." Disgruntled, the zebra nodded and decided to stay up some more to work on the next potion. Applejack took that as her cue to go and she grabbed the basket full of sucked apples on her way out. She too was tired of this routine, but felt it wasn't too bad. After all, Fluttershy doesn't seem to remember her time as Flutterbat in the morning; the problem is keeping it a secret from everypony. She wasn't comfortable with doing so, but it was Flutterbat's sole request for coming to Zecora's home every night to drink her remedies and if she had any chance to keep her calm and in line she had to follow up with her demand.

Meanwhile, Flutterbat seemed to be having a very relaxing glide through the night sky. The clouds in the everfree forest were her favorite to fly in since they seemed to have a different texture to those outside of it. They were thin and moved on their own, not to mention that she could fly through them without hitting them like a surface, something her Pegasus heritage made it hard to do. She closed her eyes and allowed the cool wind blow against her face as she fell into bliss, her freedom of the night. Every day she would be trapped inside Fluttershy's mind, seeing everything she did but unable to control her body, but at night, when her other self fell into slumber, she was free to roam at her own leisure, at least, until morning came. For some reason the morning sun would push her back into the cage of Fluttershy's subconscious and there she would remain until unset. She didn't quite understand it, but she wasn't curious enough to ask Twilight about it, after all, she'd sooner use a spell to 'cure' her than answer her questions. She'd rather remain in the dark, so to speak, and enjoy her time.

Over time, her wings started to become tired, understandable since she and Fluttershy shared the same body, so the weak wing endurance was something they too shared. It was a little troublesome, but what else could the batpony do? Over time her wings would get stronger and get a longer flight time, so for now she would simply just take a break. Flutterbat softly landed just outside of the everfree forest. She looked around to make sure nopony was around to see her and began to walk down an empty field. The cool night breeze gently moved the grass. It was sad to her that most ponies would never get to see such a beautiful and relaxing sight. They would all rather sleep the night away. Princess Luna took no short cuts in making her nights as beautiful as ever, and tonight was no exception. The yellow bat laid down on the soft grass and looked up at the stars. Their light shining down at her, unlike the bright sun of the day, their shien was gentle enough on the eyes to allow ponies to look up at them without hurting their sight. The night was just so much better than the day to this little bat and as she thought this she cutely smiled to herself.

"Oh yes, the day has nothing on this beautiful night of yours Princess Luna." Flutterbat said to herself as she continued to gaze at the night sky. Her happy thoughts, however, were interrupted by the sound of hooves hitting the ground. Flutterbat's long ears picked up the sounds much sooner than she normally would have and had enough time to sit up and look for a place to hide…only, there wasn't one. She stretched out her wings and in own strong flap of them, propelled herself as far up as she could, if she could not hide from whom ever that was, she was to disappear from their field of vision. She continued to fly up as much as she could before coming to a halt. She gasped for air slightly as she tried to steady herself from such an abrupt take off. However, she could somehow still feel eyes on her. She was much too far from the ground for anypony to see her, and there was nothing in the air around her, but that feeling continued to creep on the little batpony.

Feeling like perhaps it was time to go back home, she began to fly in the direction of 'her' cottage. Sure enough, the sun was just about to rise as she made it through the front door, Fluttershy's animal critters were all fast asleep except for the bats she kept, which all were heading to bed themselves. Flutterbat yawned and flew up once more to tie her tail to a ceiling pillar so she could hang and sleep soundly. As she did, she could feel herself being pulled back into Fluttershy's mind, a rather unpleasant feeling. Her body began to numb until she no longer had control of her limbs as she hung. She slowly closed her eyes to allow herself to drift into sleep until the next night, perhaps Fluttershy will go to sleep early today and allow her more time to roam. Who knows?


	2. Harmless fun

Applejack gulped as she walked by Fluttershy's cottage. It was just the middle of the afternoon and she had finished with most of her chores, so she decided to pay her friend a visit. She still had a hard time looking at her in the eye since her 'other self' started coming around, but more than anything, she was worried about what sort of strains it might have her on body or mind. With her hoof she gently knocked on the cottage's door.

"I'll be right there." Applejack heard a sweet voice say from inside. It didn't take long for the door to open, infront of the orange pony stood her old friend, who had a large bandage on her forehead. "Oh hello Applejack. How are you?"

"My goodness." The earth pony began. "What happened to your head?" The yellow pegasus looked up at her head and with a nervous laugh spoke.

"I uh, I'm not sure. I woke up when I hit the ground this morning. The ceiling plank above me was broken, so I can only assume that maybe I flew while asleep and hit it with my head or something." Fluttershy said as she gently poked at her bandage, one eye squinted as a small jolt of pain flashed as her hoof grazed the wound.

"Pegasi can fly in there sleep?"

"Well, maybe? I never heard of one that did, but what other explanation is there?" Applejack looked away as she sweat nervously. Obviously Flutterbat went to sleep upsidedown without thinking that the pillar she hung from would break. _Well, at least she didn't wake up still hanging, then it would have been even more awkward for her. _Applejack thought to herself.

"Anywho, what brings you here?" Fluttershy asked with a smile, trying to get back on to the matter at hand.

"Oh uh, nothin' in paticular. Just wanted to see how you were doin' is all." Fluttershy gave a strange look, out of the 6 of their friends, she and Applejack weren't exactly the closest of the bunch, but maybe she as trying to change that.

"Oh, well ok. Want to come in?" The pegasus asked as she stepped to the side, giving room for her friend to walk in. With a nod, the other pony walked in and had a look around. "Sorry about the mess...and the smell. Living with animals makes it hard to keep tidy." Fluttershy said as they sat down, blushing slightly as she looked around at her messy little cottage.

"Don't you mind, I'm used to animal smell. Ah live on a farm remember?" Applejack said, nudging at her friend.

The two of them continued to talk for hours. Since they never really had a moment alone before, they had a lot to talk about, almost as if they were meeting for the first time, only without Fluttershy having her shyness impact her conversation. They shared life stories and laughed as they remembered stuff they had done together. Fluttershy even poured some tea for them to share.

"Oh man, I haven't had some tea since last time I visited Rarity." Applejack said as she took a sip.

"Yes, I actually got this recipe from her. She's into all of that high class Canterlot stuff, so she showed me how to make a special kind of tea."

"Well that's mighty kind of her, I often see ya'll together when ah sell the apples in the market." As those words left her mouth she suddenly realized that she still had some chores to do and stood up right. "Is it really this late already?!" She exclaimed as she looked out the window at the sun setting.

"Oh dear, did I keep you from something?"

"Well, you didn't exactly keep me, I just still had some chores to do. I'mma have my work cut out for me tomorrow, that's for sure. She said before yawning, which surprised her. Fluttershy giggled as she took another sip.

"Yes, this tea relaxes the body, I often get sleepy after drinking it." The pegasus said before yawning herself. "I might just go to sleep soon." She said as she stood to see her friend out. As she said this, Applejack's expression changed to one of worry. Since her back was towards Fluttershy at the time, her friends didn't notice.

"Oh, well then...Have a good night sleep." The orange pony said as she was led out.

"Yes, you too. And good luck with your chores tomorrow."

The two friends said their good byes and parted ways. As the farm pony walked down the road she couldn't help but let her mind race at what could be happening to her friend at that very moment. She was so deep in thought she didn't notice that there was a soft flapping of wings a little above her.

"Oh ah hope she's alright." Applejack said to herself as she continued to walk. "Ah've never actually been around her when she 'turns', ah wonder if it's painful. Think she would have said something if it was, then again Fluttershy IS kinda quiet about things that make her uncomfortable. She might not even want to tell us so we don't start worrying about her."

"You worry too much, she's fine."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Applejack responded to the voice she heard. "Still, ah can't help but worry about her, she's ma friend after all."

"You're a good friend, but if it's not too much trouble, may I ask you for a favor?" With a sigh, APplejack stopped and turned around to face whoever was talking to her. As she did, her jaw dropped as she gazed up at Flutterbat flying just in front of her. "Could I trouble you for an apple? I am famished." Flutterbat asked with a sly smile.

* * *

Flutterbat flew up and down Applejack's apple fields with the farm pony watching nearby.

"Oh goodness." Applejack began as she looked over at the sun setting. "Ain't it a bit too early for her to come out?" In a flash, her bat friend appeared right beside her.

"I know! It's so weird how early I came out, maybe it's cause dear Fluttershy drank some of that tea that made her go to sleep." Her voice caused the earth pony to shout out.

"Oh buck! Could you please stop appearing out of nowhere?!"

"But I'm not my dearest, I'm just good at flying and walking quietly." She added with a wink before going back to apple picking just as quietly as she arrived.

"And could you stop the flirtin'? It's a little creepy since its technically Fluttershy's body..." Flutterbat went from apple to apple on the trees nearby, looking at the apples in the worst shape, ones that would not survive the fall from their bucking.

"I am not flirting." Flutterbat said as she took an apple and sucked the juices out. "It's just my personality."

"So when was it that you made the change from hissing at everypony to becoming flirtatious?"

"I was hungry."

Flutterbat continued to feed for a while before coming down to sit next to the orange pony who was dozing off. She found it kind of funny to see her friend's head nod back and forth. She simply laid down quietly on the porch Applejack was sitting on. She placed her hooves at her cheeks to hold her head up as she stared at the rather drowse pony.

"Maybe you should head to bed, you drank some of that tea too right? Not to mention you have an extra long list of chores tomorrow." Flutterbat's voice woke the half asleep pony and looked to her side to see her staring at her. She restrained her shout since she knew it was what her bat friend wanted to hear, so she cleared her throat to regain her composure before speaking.

"As much as ah want to, ah can't leave you alone, especially since we can't go to Zecora's tonight."

"Why not? Is she finally taking my advice and sleeping a little?"

"Well, no. She simply can't find another remedy that might help your...uh, condition. So we're stuck like this for a while." To this Flutterbat rolled over, now laying on her back and stretching her arms out to relax.

"Oh how sad. So what shall we do tonight?" Applejack yawned as she looked over at her friend before shrugging.

"Don't know, you're free to fly around as long as you stay close to the farm, not many ponies comes by and even less at this hour."

"Oh come now, can't we have some bonding time like what you had with Fluttershy?"

"You were awake during that time?"

"I'm a light sleeper. Oh and she lied to you slightly when you asked if she liked someone, she has this small crush on Fire Streak."

"Wait what? The Wonderbolt?"

"Yeah, she probably doesn't know it herself, but that one day he came around to pick out a pet she was sweating bullets and her heart was racing."

"Ain't that just normal Fluttershy? Anyway why are you telling me this, it's wrong to share other pony's secrets."

"Aw come on, it's called gossip, mares do this sort of thing all the time." The yellow bat said as she rolled over again, her hooves at her chin once more.

"And gossiping ain't really my thing, that's more of Rarity's thing."

"Yeah, but I can't talk to Rarity now can I? Oh, and peaking of which, Rarity was right. She said how you kept your mane in such poor shape, I mean just look at those split ends."

"Ah don't wanna hear that from you, your mane is always a mess." Applejack said as she turned away, a little bit offended by Rarity's comment on her mane. With a gasp, Flutterbat took to the air, holding her long pink mane with her hooves, gently trying to tidy it.

"It isn't my fault, when I transform my mane gets all spiky!" She said trying to comb her hair with her hoof. "But I need some major product to fix it, products Fluttershy doesn't have!" Applejack snickered as the bat went on trying to fix her mane, earlier Fluttershy had spoken about how she sometimes frets over her appearance. _Maybe Flutterbat is just Fluttershy without the shy_. She thought to herself as she yawned. Hearing the orange pony yawn knocked the bat pony back into reality. She gave a gentle smile, a rare occurrence for the devilish bat. "Really, you should head to bed, I'll stay out of trouble until Zecora gets her brew ready, I'll meet her at her hut on my own."

"Are you sure? I can stay up..." Applejack was interrupted by another yawn. "To walk with you."

"Pish posh, I can fly there much faster, besides you need your sleep if you're to get your work down tomorrow." Flutterbat said as she pushed the earth pony into her home.

"Well, ok...Goodnight Flutters." Applejack said as she sleepily waved good bye, walking inside and covering an incoming yawn. As Flutterbat waved back still standing behind the door she felt odd. It was the first time she had any real interaction with anypony since she began her quiet nights. It felt kind of good having someone to say goodnight to. She stood in front of the apple family's door for a while longer, staring at her hoof, the one she used to wave good bye.

"I'm lingering, I should go." She said before taking flight. It was still much too soon to head to Zecora's hut so she decided to fly into Ponyville. She made sure to stay clear any of any ponies that may still be out, but it was apparently early curfew for everypony today. She had no trouble making her way in, and even less just walking around the empty streets. As the night began to rise, the air around her began to cool. She took a deep breath as she atmosphere around here became chilled and silent.

"Ah yes, this is more to what I'm accustomed to." She said as she gave one of her devious smiles. Having friends is nice and all, but it still pales in comparison to the calm sensation the night gives her. She took to the air again as she heard hoof steps come close. She thought it might be fun to poke around and mess with some civilians while she was in town. And so she hide in a tree nearby. As she waited, the echos of the hooves became louder and louder. Soon she saw a cyan colored pony begin to trot by with some groceries held by magic.

"That's Lyra if I'm not mistaken." Flutterbat said to herself as she gazed at her victim. The unicorn happily hummed to herself as a lingering shadow swooped down and slinetly flew beside her. Lyra soon caught sign of some pony beside her but as she turned to see who it was Flutterbat moved around her. The poor unicorn was baffled as she began to slowly start to walk again only to be startled by a munled whisper in the ear. Again she looked around to see what was causing her distress, but Flutterbat's agile movements allowed her to stay in her blind spots at all times. beginning to freak out she called out.

"Wh-Who's there?..." The bat pony couldn't help but take the chance, and so she silently flew off, leaving the poor pony to her own fears as she began to rustle a nearby bush, causing Lyra to jump up, dropping the groceries she was carrying. She slowly began to step back away from the bush, but Flutterbat was already elsewhere. As she continued to back up, she suddenly felt her plot hit something. Lyra slowly turned her head to see a beastly figure followed by a loud lighting and thunder. The unicorn shrieked as she ran off home. The beast she had seen turned out to be a pile of rocks, twigs, and leaves arranged to look like a beast's silhouette. Flutterbat laughed to herself as she sat ontop a storm cloud which she had used to cause the lightning.

"Oh Luna, how marvelous. Ok, that's enough fun, perhaps I should head to Zecora now." But as she began to fly off she noticed the bag the unicorn had dropped. Usually, it wouldn't have mattered to her, but since she WAS the cause of it, she felt kind of guilty. The bat sighed as she flew down and grabbed the groceries. "Well, maybe I'll do this first then..."

Using Fluttershy's memory of the town, Flutterbat navigated the streets back to Lyra's house where she could hear shouting coming from inside.

"But Bonbon! I swear I saw a monster!"

"Yeah yeah, just let me check who's at the door, then you can go on about this 'monster' of yours." The door before the bat pony opened and Bonbon, Lyra's close friend stood there staring at her. "Oh hello Fluttershy, what brings you here." As she stood, Flutterbat was wearing a scarf around her head and nuzzle, to hide her bat like appearence.

"Oh, I noticed Lyra dropped her bag." The bat pony said, trying to sound as much as her other self as possible. "I thought I'd bring them by for you." Bonbon smiled as she saw the bag of groceries in front her.

"Why thank you." She thanked 'Fluttershy' before shouting inside. "See Lyra? It wasn't a monster, just some prank." The pink and blue maned pony walked inside as Lyra stepped out to thank the 'good Samaritan'.

"Oh thank you so much Fluttershy !"

"It was my pleasure." The bat pony turned around and begin to walk away, but one had forgotten one big detail about her disguise. A sharp gasp was heard coming from the door way and as Flutterbat turned around she realized her bat wings were out for all to see. Seeing as there was no turning back, she took her scarf off and threw it aside. The unicorn was left speechless as she trying to scream but the shout was stuck at her throat. Flutterbat winked and gave her infamous smile before flying off into the night sky. Lyra sat at her doorway, shocked and unable to comprehend what she had just witnessed.

"Bonbon!"


End file.
